


Bandaids don't fix bullet holes

by everydaytomholland



Series: Pangs [8]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man - All Media Types
Genre: Canon Divergence - Spider-Man: Homecoming, Flash Thompson Redemption, Gen, Gun Violence, Gunshot Wounds, Hurt Peter Parker, Medical Trauma, Peter Parker Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-25
Updated: 2021-01-25
Packaged: 2021-03-17 19:20:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,681
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28979508
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/everydaytomholland/pseuds/everydaytomholland
Summary: Peter Parker doesn't think his night could get much worse than finding out his date's father is the evil Vulture guy he's been chasing for months, but then it does. Thankfully, he gets some lifesaving help from the unlikeliest of allies.
Series: Pangs [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1128152
Comments: 1
Kudos: 35





	Bandaids don't fix bullet holes

**Author's Note:**

> *Insert the James Acaster "Started making it. Had a breakdown. Bon appetite" meme*
> 
> Definitely thought I'd get more writing done in lockdown but that's executive dysfunction for ya! 
> 
> This ended up kinda messy but I still like the general idea of it so that's why I'm posting it instead of deleting it lol
> 
> I have another 2/3 completed fic in progress but given my track record, who knows when it'll go up
> 
> Enjoy!

Peter Parker was having a bad few weeks. The aftermath of the Washington trip was completely crazy, and he was in so much trouble. Not only were most of the decathlon team barely speaking to him, but he’d landed in detention for disappearing, too. Then there was that thing with the Staten Island Ferry, and that just made things go from bad to worse. Mr Stark had taken the suit away and May was mad at him. 

Things started looking up when Liz Allen agreed to go to the Homecoming dance with him. He’d had a crush on her for what seemed like forever, but never would’ve guessed he’d get this lucky. Even though things still weren’t great, he couldn’t wipe the smile off his face for the rest of the school day. And when he raced home and told her, May put whatever anger she had aside and helped him get ready. She laughed gently at his giddy excitement as they drove to Liz’s house, kissed him on the cheek, and wished him luck as she dropped him off.

Peter worked hard to look calm as he walked up the steps to Liz’s house, just in case someone was watching, but in reality he was almost jittery with excitement and nerves. He rang the doorbell and shook his hands a little to try and get out some excess energy. When the door opened, and he saw the person behind it, he felt as though he’d been doused with cold water.

It was the guy from the ferry. The one with the wings. The flying vulture guy was Liz’s dad. 

Peter felt completely numb. He was aware of himself entering the house and having a conversation with Liz’s parents, but it was like he wasn’t present in his own body.

When he realised her dad was the one driving, he tried his best to seem calm. He just had to make it through the car ride without raising suspicion, then he could contact Mr Stark. Mr Stark would sort everything out, even if he didn’t trust Peter anymore.

He chatted quietly with Liz on the car ride, but keeping an eye on her dad all the while. He watched as the man tried to figure out who he was, asking question after question, but Peter wasn’t giving him anything. Once they’d finally arrived at the school, he let out a quiet sigh of relief; he’d made it.

But as quick as he let the tension slip from his body, it was back again, tenfold. 

Liz had gotten out of the car.

She’d walked inside without him.

She left him alone with her dad.

He watched nervously as she walked inside, then he turned back to face her dad and was met with a gun pointed at him.

“Does she know?” The man asked threateningly.  
“Know what?” Peter felt stupid for even saying it, knowing exactly what the man was asking, but he was desperate.  
“So she doesn’t. Good. Close to the vest. I admire that.” Peter felt gross. The last thing he wanted was admiration from a criminal. “I’ve got a few secrets of my own.” he continued.  
“I know” Peter interrupted.  
“Yeah, I know you do. And that’s the problem. I can’t have you getting in the way again, so I’m afraid I can’t let you leave this car.”

Before Peter could react, the man had locked the doors, trapping him in the car.   
“You know you actually might make my life easier tonight, Pete.” He shuddered at this man calling him by the same nickname Ben had always used. “I’ve got a big plan tonight and a lot could go wrong, but if I use you as incentive, Stark might be inclined to do me a favour.”  
Peter remembered with a jolt what was happening tonight: Mr Stark was officially making the move from his tower to the compound upstate.   
Moving as slowly as possible, he pulled his phone from his pocket and, after a quick glance at the screen, started writing a text to Happy. He’d never been more grateful for his addiction to his phone because it meant he was able to type without looking at his phone, so the vulture guy wasn’t any the wiser. 

From: Peter Parker.  
To: Happy Hogan.  
Sent: 19:37, October 28, 2016.  
HAPPY! HELP!! VULTURE GUY FOUND ME KIDNAPPED GOING TO STEAL ME STARKS PLANE DONT LET IT TAKE OFFF!!! GER MR STARL TO TRACK MU PHONW!!!!!!

Peter sent off the message and looked back up to see the guy staring at him in the rearview mirror, with darkened eyes. Moments later he sharply pulled off to the side of the road and turned to face Peter again, gun drawn.  
“You’re more trouble than you’re worth, kid.” and before Peter could respond, pulled the trigger.   
Peter heard the shot a long while before he felt it. He tried to draw a breath, but couldn’t. He watched as the man leaned over and undid his seatbelt. Peter looked at his chest and saw a patch of dark red growing in the middle of it, staining Ben’s old suit; May wouldn’t be happy.

Still too numb to realise what was happening, Liz’s dad opened the car door and pushed him out without warning. The pain slammed into peter as he fell onto the side of the road. His chest hurt so much, and now his head did too from hitting the ground. He watched on dizzily as the man closed the car door and drove off. Peter just lay there, in pain and struggling to breathe.

Things are getting worse, there’s a part of Peter that knows his healing factor should have kicked in by now, and that he should be more concerned that it isn’t but he just feels so weak. It’s getting harder and harder to breathe, he feels like he’s drowning but he doesn’t understand why. He just wants to go to sleep.

Flash Thompson was not stupid. Just ask him.

He was only a little bitter that he hadn’t been able to find a date to homecoming, but he and some of his friends decided to go stag together, so he supposed that was okay. He didn’t know why, because he didn’t have a date or anything, but his mom had insisted on taking photos of him before he left for the dance, so now he was running late. 

He was almost at the school when he saw something on the side of the road. He slowed down to get a better look at it, and he realised it was a person. He thought it was a homeless person, but they were crumpled in a heap and weren’t moving, so he figured he’d better at least check on them. 

It was as he was getting close to them that he realised they probably weren’t homeless, since they were wearing a clean - if not cheap and old - suit. It wasn’t until he was right up next to them that he realised with horror that not only was it not a homeless guy; it was Peter Parker. 

Peter didn’t seem to be conscious, but Flash rolled him over onto his back anyway, and said his name. It didn’t stir the boy at all, and Flash looked down and saw why. Peter’s chest was covered in blood. If he didn’t know any better, he would’ve thought Peter had been shot. 

Flash then dropped to his knees and instinctively put his hand over the massive wound on Peter’s chest. The blood was still flowing way too much for his hands to make a difference, so he tore off his jacket and used that to put pressure on it like he’d seen on tv. What the hell had Parker gotten himself into.

Flash wasn’t stupid. He’d known for a while that Parker was hiding something. First of all, how had he gotten so buff all of a sudden, and yet still sucked at gym? And he’d quit like most of his nerd clubs and still always seemed to be busy? It honestly hadn’t taken him long to figure it out, especially since he was the biggest Spider-Man fan ever. He was honestly surprised more people hadn’t figured it out, Peter was nowhere near careful enough, and he and Leeds weren’t subtle when they talked about it. 

But none of that mattered now. Peter looked like he was dying. Maybe he was, but Flash was still going to do everything he could to help. He continues to apply pressure as he tries to think of what to do next. The street is annoyingly quiet, so he can’t exactly stop someone to help him. 

Peter jerks suddenly, eyes cracking open. Flash is surprised he’s awake. 

“Parker? It’s Flash. I’m trying to help but I don’t know what to do. Dude you gotta tell me what to do!”  
Peter responds but it’s all mumbled, not making any sense, and Flash isn’t entirely sure he even knows what’s happening, but he tries to keep talking to him regardless.   
He doesn’t get anywhere and is starting to panic again. Desperate and willing to try anything, he eventually yells “Spider-Man!” in Peter’s face. 

Somehow it works. Peter’s bleary eyes seem to clear a little and he looks up at flash, confused.   
“I-wha-? Flash? Did you just call me- AHHH!” Peter finally felt the pain in his chest.  
“Shh, Parker, don’t move, you’re too hurt. I wanna help but you gotta tell me what to do?”  
“Mmm- what?” Peter started to lose consciousness again.  
“Hey! Spidey! You gotta tell me who to call so I can help you!”  
“Call?”  
“Yeah, who do I call for help?”  
“Happy.”  
“Hap- Hey! Eyes open Parker!” Flash yelled but it was too late, the boy had lost consciousness before he could explain.

Flash couldn’t help but feel panicky- he had no idea what Peter meant by happy, and now it might be too late. He kept one hand on the jacket on Peter’s chest, but used the other to feel in Peter’s pockets, hoping a phone would be in there. Jackpot! He had to call 911. He figured Spider-Man had all kinds of enhanced healing or whatever, but he was desperate, and something was better than nothing. 

He switched the phone on and the first thing he saw was a bunch of missed calls from someone named- Happy? Happy is a person?! Finally understanding what Parker had been saying, he frantically called the number back, hoping he’d finally get somewhere.

Happy Hogan had just about had a conniption when he received the message from Peter Parker saying he was being held hostage. He immediately initiated the contingency plan for the shipment to the Avengers compound, and while the team was taking care of that, he desperately tried to get back in contact with Peter but wasn’t having any luck. 

Getting more and more nervous, he found himself getting annoyed that Tony hadn’t put the tracker in Peter’s phone like he meant to, because it was making things so much harder. He was just getting FRIDAY to start using her resources to try and find Peter, when his phone lit up with the boy's number. He almost dropped his phone in his haste to answer.

“KID! Are you-?”  
“A-are you Happy?”  
“Who are you? You’re not Peter.”  
“No I-I go to school with him, I found him.”  
“Found him? Where is he? What happened?”  
“I don’t know. I think someone shot him, and I didn’t know if I should call 911 coz-”  
“Okay kid, what’s your name?”  
“Flash Thompson, sir.”  
“Ok Flash, is Peter awake?”  
“N-no. He was but he passed out again. I-I’m trying to stop the bleeding but it won’t stop.”  
“Ok Flash, I need you to tell me where you are.” Flash rattled off the location. “Good. Ok, you’re doing great. Just keep applying pressure and help will be there so soon. Okay?”  
“O-ok.”  
“You’re doing great, kid. Just try and stop the bleeding, I’m on my way.”

When Tony got the notification about Peter, he ran out of his meeting and into a suit faster than he thought was ever possible. Happy had only given him the gist but it was enough for him to work out that he’d really screwed up and now Peter was paying the price. 

He flew to the location Happy gave him as fast as he could, still not grasping what the hell had happened, but just hoping he’d make it in time. When he got close, he could see the boys on the side of the road. He could see someone crouched over what he assumed was Peter, but he couldn’t see enough of Peter to gauge what the boy’s condition was.

He landed not far from them and stepped out of the suit. Neither of the boys reacted to him landing, so he walked up to them. Peter was clearly unconscious, and frighteningly pale. Tony then turned his attention to the other boy. The other boy who had his hands on Peter’s chest and was covered in his blood.

“Ok kid, time to let the adults take over.”  
The boy didn’t respond. Didn’t even seem to realise Tony was there.  
“Kid? Move your hands.”  
“Can’t move, have to stop the bleeding.”  
“It’s okay, I can take care of it now.”  
“No! He’s gonna die! I can’t let him die!” Tony, feeling exasperated, grabbed the boys cheeks and forced him to look at him.  
“Hey! Peter is not going to die. You’ve done great. He’s going to be okay, but you have to let me take over now.”  
“I- you’re Iron Man.”  
“Yeah.”  
“Peter wasn’t making it up?”  
“Nope. What’s your name?”  
“F-Flash. Peter’s Spider-Man?”  
“Yeah. Flash, you gotta step back and let me look after Spidey now. Okay?”  
“Yeah, okay.”

Flash removed his hands from Parker’s chest, moving out of the way so that Tony Freaking Stark could look after him. Wanting to not be in the way, but also not too far away, he sat down right near Peter’s feet. He could see Mr Stark working to help him but he felt awkward watching, so he looked down at his hands. His hands that he was only then realising were completely covered in blood. 

He didn’t know why it shocked him so much, but it did. Something about the whole experience hadn’t felt real until the moment he was staring at Peter Parker's blood on his hands and clothes. He felt numb.

Flash didn’t know how much time passed before he felt an arm on his shoulder. He looked up and saw a large, strange man staring into his face with concerned eyes. He supposed some time had passed since Peter and Tony Stark were nowhere to be seen.  
“Flash? It’s Happy. You okay?”  
“I don’t- where’s Peter?”  
“In an ambulance, he’s getting help. You did good, kid.”   
“He’s still alive?”  
“He’s still alive.” Flash looked around him, still dazed.  
“It’s cold.” Happy’s eyes softened, kindly.  
“No, I think you’re in shock, kid. Come on, I’ll take you to the Tower.”  
“Ok.” Flash stood up. Or, rather, he tried to, but his legs almost immediately crumpled underneath him. Luckily, Happy caught him before he hit the ground. Wordlessly, Happy picked him up and carried him to the car, placing him into the back seat. Flash didn’t even realise he was crying until Happy passed him a handkerchief. He half-heartedly wiped his eyes and just blankly stared out of the car window.

When Flash next came back to himself, it was to Tony Stark handing him a glass of water. He greedily drank half of it before he finally started to feel like himself. And then he looked around and realised he had no idea where he was. He turned to ask Mr Stark but the man beat him to it.  
“We’re in the Avengers Tower. Can’t take the kid to a regular hospital with all the enhancements. Gotta keep that secret identity a secret.”  
“Oh, that makes sense.” Flash responded numbly.  
“So, are you and Pete friends?”  
“No, I uh, I’ve never been particularly nice to him. And now I find out he could’ve kicked my ass this whole time? I- I shouldn’t be here. I should go.”  
“Hey, hey!” Flash had stood up and started moving away but stopped as soon as Mr Stark called after him, “Just hold up a minute kid. Come sit back down.” Flash followed the orders but was too scared to look Tony in the eyes. “Now I think this is a defining moment for the both of us.”  
“‘Both of us’, sir?”  
“Yeah. Both. Peter Parker is a much nicer person than either of us deserve. But maybe it’s not too late to make things right, but we have to make the effort to change. Be worthy of his kindness.” Flash nodded at him, tears in his eyes. Tony gave him a gentle pat on the shoulder and stood up, “I’m gonna go check on him, you just sit tight.”

Flash scrolled aimlessly through his phone for who knows how long until someone approached him. He assumed it was Mr Start or Mr Happy, but what he saw was way worse. It was Leeds and Peter’s Aunt.   
“Flash?” Ned asked at the same time May gave a curt, “Eugene.”  
“Leeds, Mrs Parker, I’m-”  
“I know who you are, Flash,” May looked stern, “What I don’t understand is why you’re here? And what the hell you have to do with Peter’s injuries?”  
“I was the one who- who found him. Mr Happy brought me here.”   
“Oh,” May deflated, “well okay then.” She sits next to him in silence.

It could’ve been an hour later or an eternity, Flash couldn’t be sure, but eventually Tony Stark came out of the MedBay looking relieved. May and Ned rushed over to him, Flash stayed seated. They spoke quietly with Mr Stark for a few minutes before heading into the ward. Tony walked over and put his hand on Flash’s shoulder.   
“He’s ok. Just sit tight, he wants to talk to you next.” The man walked away.  
Another eternity later, May came out to get him, looking considerably more calm than when he’d last seen her.   
“The boys want to see you.” 

Ned was sitting in a chair next to the bed, Flash almost didn’t want to look at the bed, but he did. Peter looked pale but, miraculously, alive. He was half sitting up in the bed, leaning heavily against its frame, but smiling. His chest was bare and Flash could see some half-healed scars poking out from the bandages

Words escaped him. Flash opened his mouth and quickly closed it a few times, completely unable to say anything. Peter and Ned looked at each other, amused, before beckoning him towards them and away from the doorway he was still standing in. He shuffled over to Peter’s bedside and stood there, numbly.  
“Hey Flash,” Peter said. That was enough to shock him out of whatever trance he was in.  
“You- You’re-”  
“Spider-Man.” Peter interrupted, bluntly.  
“Alive” Flash finished, taking both boys by surprise.  
“Yeah,” Peter responded, “thanks to you.”  
“Oh, I um, I’m sure anyone would-” Flash said meekly, unsure of how to respond.  
“But anyone didn’t, YOU did.” Peter insisted  
“Yeah but Iron Man-”  
“No,” Ned interrupted, “Peter didn’t have his tracker, and I was trying to help him from the computer lab but Ms Ramirez busted me. By the time I would’ve gotten in touch with Mr Stark, it probably would’ve been too late.” Peter nodded in agreement.  
“I can’t thank you enough, Flash.”  
“Uh, you’re welcome, I guess.” he stood there awkwardly for a moment, “so, you’re really gonna be okay?”  
“Yeah. Give it a few days and I probably won’t even have a scar.”  
“Woah, cool. So you really do have like crazy powers or whatever!”  
“Uh, yeah. Listen, Flash, you’re not going to tell anyone, are you?” Peter seemed genuinely nervous.  
“As long as you don’t tell anyone I pretty much fainted from the shock of it all.” The boys all laughed. “Alright, well, I guess I’m gonna head out.”  
“Ok, thanks again, Flash.”  
“See you Monday.” Ned chimed in. Flash started to leave but got about halfway to the door before turning back around.   
“You never beat me up.”  
“No?” Peter asked, confused.  
“I mean, I’ve been a dick to you for forever and suddenly you have all these powers and you could’ve just punched me in the cafeteria and probably been the coolest kid in school. Why didn’t you?”  
“Oh, that” Peter chuckled. Ned seemed to also want to hear this answer, “it’s just not how I do things, Flash.”  
“Ok,” Flash nodded, “that’s pretty cool of you.”  
“Thanks.” Peter smiled and Flash left the room without another word.

Flash was nervous at school the following Monday. He didn’t see Parker or Ned at all that morning and a part of him was really worried something had gone wrong since he’d seen them last; Peter had still looked pretty rough on that hospital bed. He hadn’t needed to worry though. He saw them after 4th period on his way to the cafeteria for lunch. They were standing at Peter’s locker, probably talking about something nerdy. Peter looked up as Flash walked in their direction and their eyes met briefly before they both looked away awkwardly. 

He wasn’t going to say anything, but at the last moment, he said a halfhearted “‘Sup, Penis?”  
He heard Peter chuckle and let out a friendly, “Hello, Flash.” as he passed but neither of them said anything else.

When he went to his locker at the end of the day, Flash saw a blank, white envelope inside that definitely hadn’t been there before. He opened it and saw a photo of Spider-Man in there. It was definitely cool, but he was confused, until he saw the note scribbled in the bottom corner in sharpie: “To Flash, from your friend, Spider-Man.”

Okay, he smiled, maybe Parker isn’t a complete loser.

**Author's Note:**

> Please comment/kudos any thoughts
> 
> You can find me on Twitter and Tumblr at the same username (also IG but I never use it)


End file.
